Distributor of internal-combustion engines



June 6, 1950 J. CALLANDER 2,510,067

DISTRIBUTOR 0F INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Oct. 29, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

JAMfS C41 LANDE 2 M ATTOE/VE Y5 Patented June 6, 1950 DISTRIBUTOR OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES James Callander, Chatham, N. J.

Application October 29, 1946, Serial No. 706,399

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to the ignition system of internal combustion engines and more particularly to distributors in internal combustion engines.

In the common jump-spark ignition a coil supplies the high voltage necessary to induce the spark to leap the gap of a spark plug. The coil comprises a primary and secondary wiring and when the circuit of the primary is broken a high tension current is produced in the secondary which is successively led to the spark plugs by a rotor or the like. Heretofore, to open and close the circuit of the primary winding in the coil a pair of contacts or points, mounted on springs has been used in cooperation with a rotating cam which periodically broke the contact between the two contacts or points.

The contacts or points of this type of distributor are, after relatively short intervals of time in need of adjustment by a highly skilled mechanic. In addition, because of the constant making and breaking of contact between the two points, they soon become burned and pitted and require replacement. Further, the replacement of the points, also, can only be done by a skilled mechanic.

One object of the present invention is the provision of contacts which may readily be installed in the distributor of an internal combustion engine in place of the old breaker points.

Another object is the provision of a distributor, the contacts of which will be long lasting and will not require fine adjustment.

Yet another object is to provide contacts which will be more dependable in operation than heretofore was thought possible and yet be simple in design and manufactured at low cost without requiring material alterations in the structure of the present distributor.

Other objects and novel features will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claim.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

In carrying out an embodiment of the invention, it was found advantageous to provide a disc with a plurality of radially disposed contact plates mounted so as to rotate with the turning of a shaft, said shaft rotating with the cam shaft of the engine, and a pivotally mounted brush for sliding engagement with said radially disposed contacts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device, with the other parts of the distributor shown in dot and dash lines; and

Figure 2 is a partial section along the line 22 looking in the direction of the arrows of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, ll indicates the ordinary distributor casing having a distributor shaft ll, rotor l2, condenser l3, electrical terminals 14 and I5, and plate l6. Said distributor shaft ll carries a rotary member having as many cam surfaces l1 thereon with high points on lobes I8 as there are cylinders in the engine, which is not shown herein, with which the distributor is designed to operate.

The disc l9 made of non-conducting material such as plastic or the like has a plurality of radially disposed contact plates 20 of good conducting material along the outer edge or pe-;

riphery 2| and has a central opening running transversely therethrough. Said opening has a contact 22 encircling it and adapted to fit 'over said cams I! on the distributor shaft II and rotate therewith by reason of a tight-fit. Contact plates 20 are each connected to contact 22 by leads 23.

A brush 24, carrying contact 25, is pivotally mounted on pin 26, said pin 26 being rigidly connected to the distributor plate l6 by means of screw threads or the like. A bushing 28 made of non-conducting material serves to insulate the brush 24 from both pin 26 and plate It. A spring 29 connected at one end to brush 24 and at the other to lead-in l4 constantly urges contact 25 on brush 24 against edge or periphery 2| of disc l9.

It is evident from the foregoing that this device is for use in distributors operating in conjunction with the ordinary non-vibratory type coil which is not shown herein. Terminal I4 indicates where the primary winding of said coil is connected to the distributor by means of a lead 21, a fragment of which is shown in Figure 1, and terminal l5 similarly indicates where the 3 secondary winding of said coil is connected to rotor l2 by lead 30, also fragmentarily shown in Fi ure 1.

In operation disc 19 rotates with the distributor shaft II, said shaft being grounded in the usual manner. Contact plates 2!] are grounded through leads 23 to contact 22 which in turn is grounded through shaft ll. As disc l9 rotates, contact 25 onbrush 2'4 and under the influence of spring 29 is in sliding engagement alternately with a contact plate 20 and the non-conducting edge 2| of disc 19 thereby alternately closing and opening the circuit of the primary winding of the aforementioned coil. This has the well known eifect of inducing a high voltage in the secondary winding of said coil which isled to the spark plugs of the engine in the usual manner through rotor 12. The relationship between the size of contacts 20, 25 and the space between contacts 20 on the one hand and the spacing between the lobes 18 .on the :other is such that the time at which the high tension arrives from'the secondary winding of .the coil to the rotor is not changed-from thatzof ordinary distributors.

The device will function equally well in the less common open-circuit distributor as .in the more common closed-circuit distributor.

:It is clear that disc "I9 will have as many :contact plates as there are cylinders in'the engine with which it is designed to operate or as there are lobes IS on the distributor shaft H. As shown in Figure "1 the device is for a siX cylinder engine. ill the engine had four or eight cylinders disc [9 would have four or eight contact plates respectively.

To install the device :in a distributor in'which it is necessary to replace the old circuit breaker points it is onlynecessary to remove the breaker points with "their arms and install brush 24 connecting spring 29 to terminal 14. Rotor I2 is removed and disc 19 is slid on over cams 11. On replacing the rotorthe engine is ready to function i Ethe usual manner,'no further adjustments of the distributor being necessary.

lBy reason of the sliding engagement between contact 25 and contact plates 20,the contacts tend to clean themselves and remain free of oil and dirt. .Further, sparking between the contacts for all practical "purposes is eliminated as a cause of wear of the contacts.

a leasing, a rotary polygonal conducting member in said casing mounted to rotate with the engine camshaft, a rotary insulating annular disc enclosing said z-rotary member, contact plates corresponding in number to the number of sides on said rotary member spaced apart on the outer periphery of said disc, a conducting, annular member :having an :inner surface'fitting over said polygonal, conducting member and an outersurface engaging ithe innersurface of said annular disc, leads within said insulating, annular "disc conductively connecting said contact plates with said annular member, whereby said contact plates are grounded to said rotary member, a brush pivotally'mounted 'at one end to said histributor casing and :at the other end in sliding engagement with said periphery of said disc and said rconta-ct plates, and :a leaf spring connected at one end to said pivotally mounted end of said brush "and at the other end connected to said terminal and urging said brush into sliding engagement with said di'sc.

JAMES CALLANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areo'f record 'inthe file of this patent:

"UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name .Date

:1,172,384= .Moultons Feb-22, 1916 1,273,378 Kennington July 23,1918 2,319,503 .Glogau May .18, .1943 2,438,889 .Arden .Apr. 6, 119.48 

